ENERGY STAR Plant Profile

The Lake Charles Refinery is actually located in Westlake, Louisiana, just outside of Lake Charles.Construction of the petroleum refinery was completed in 1941 with the original capability to process 7,500 barrels of crude oil per day to supply high-octane aviation fuel to WWII airplanes. Through 60 years of upgrades, the refinery now processes 239,000 barrels of crude oil per day, most of which is heavy sour and some high-acid synthetic crude. Each upgrade of the facility brought additional complexity and market advantages.Most recently, the refinery completed a project to satisfy clean fuels regulations.The plant employs over 800 people including operations, maintenance, engineers, and management.

The Lake Charles Refinery has had a long standing practice of heat integration and recovery.There are also efforts to track and improve fired heater operation, use high-efficiency motors, as well as other energy practices promoted by ENERGY STAR.Stable, reliable operation is the key to good energy utilization.